


Fire With Fire

by Macx



Series: The Maelstrom Crossovers [1]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Crossover, Hurt/Comfort, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-05
Updated: 2011-06-05
Packaged: 2017-10-20 03:57:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/208500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Macx/pseuds/Macx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Optimus left the communications expert alone and walked back his office. Something bothered him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. The energy disturbance had come out of nowhere, like a solar flare, and it had disappeared just as quickly. There had been no damage done to the structures in the sectors, except for the loss of communication for a few seconds. But still ... he felt bothered by it. He would have to wait until the reports came in, though. Maybe this was just an unexplained phenomenon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fire With Fire

**Author's Note:**

> The following fanfics were written before most of the Tji War Arc, Post War Arc and Years of Transition stories! I started writing them in 1996, crossing my TF universe with that of Heather Feldman's Maelstrom comic. Don't ask me what bit me (Heather, sit! Good girl!) to write them . You may find explanations about doorways, events of the future and more in them that I gave in later stories of the Arcs as well. It's because they were written before the other stories, pure and simple!
> 
> There is also the fact that I used scenes from the crossovers in my stories because, well, I had written them and didn't want them to go to waste. Now I finally made up my mind and the Maelstrom crossovers are there for everyone to read. In case you discover something similar as in the other stories, you know why!
> 
> Due to the nature of Maelstrom there is some mature context in the stories. Parts I wrote for Heather were edited out due to the public forum of this website. The stories are not adult!
> 
> Interpretation of the characters is based on my universe and my Weird Braincell (tm). All stories should be read in order. They are based on each other!
> 
> Now have fun reading!

Dimensions meet.  
Energy is set free.  
A gateway opens.

*

It happened all of a sudden and later on no one could recall how exactly everything had played together to produce the necessary circumstances to open the dimensional gateway. It's a common belief that dimensions are spheres, round globes of perfection, and that they come very close to each other from time to time. It's also a common misconception. Dimensions are shapeless blobs, stretching, expanding, contracting. They never stay the same size and it's hard to determine what they include and what they exclude. Here and there it is believed that they touch, though that is also wrong. They flow into each other and mix. For that brief period, a period that can last from seconds to millennia -- depends on your definition of 'brief' -- a dimensional gateway opens. Few races have the technology and knowledge to register such a gateway; even fewer have the necessary understanding of what they are facing. The robot race on Cybertron had neither the knowledge, nor the understanding of what happened within seconds.  
All had started with Midnight attempting to Gate from Metroplex to Cybertron because he wanted to take Shanygn back to the South Port complex to meet with Rodimus. The Sentinel normally took the warp gates, but some stroke of chance made him Gate. Shanygn might have been able to Gate herself, homing in on her Interface partner, but that would have resulted in an energy drain of Rodimus Prime's system and she didn't want to risk that. Midnight had just arrived from Alean and he had said it would be no problem to get her to Cybertron. He had opened his personal Gate and the three of them -- Midnight, Steve and Shanygn -- had entered. Gating was a matter of seconds and normally wasn't very dangerous. Midnight was experienced in those matters.  
But something went wrong.  
A Gate is a tunnel of energy, running like a vein through the fabric of space -- sometimes even time. Those tunnels can be accessed and shaped to the controller's will and desire, if he knows how. Midnight was one of those few Sentinels who knew the Gating process inside out and had no problem using these energy tunnels. His body acted like a key and a code chip, opening the Gate and exiting where he wanted to exit in a matter of seconds.  
Not this time.  
Midnight felt a flare in the energy field of the Gate and was suddenly flung forward. Pain lanced through him and instinct let him harden his exterior, organic skin. There was a hot, white light, then they were thrown out of the Gate with a force that equaled a nuclear explosion. Shanygn didn't have time to scream. All she saw was that there was something else with them in the Gate and that it looked vaguely familiar. Then everything went dark.

* * *

"There was a heavy energy disturbance in sector 89," Blaster reported. "Communication was down for several seconds. Another disturbance disrupted everything in sectors 91 and 93." He looked at his commanding officer.  
Optimus Prime studied the readings with a puzzled frown. "Get me a report on those sectors, Blaster. Rodimus is in sector 89, checking on the progress of the power core."  
"Will do, Prime!"  
Optimus left the communications expert alone and walked back his office. Something bothered him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. The energy disturbance had come out of nowhere, like a solar flare, and it had disappeared just as quickly. There had been no damage done to the structures in the sectors, except for the loss of communication for a few seconds. But still ... he felt bothered by it. He would have to wait until the reports came in, though. Maybe this was just an unexplained phenomenon.

* * *

Silhouette felt like she was racing along a foggy grey tunnel. At the end of the tunnel was a shimmering light. She neither knew where she was nor how she had gotten here. One second she had been in the South Port complex, waiting for Midnight and Shanygn to arrive, the next one she was .... here.  
Then she was suddenly out of the tunnel. She landed on her backside on a hard, uneven ground. She stood up and looked round.  
"What the ...? Where am I?!"  
Around her rose the high buildings of a planet she knew. Cybertron! She was on Cybertron! But .... how ... what ...? She turned in a circle, trying to find out precisely which part she was in. There was a building behind her that looked suspiciously like the South Port main complex, but it was still different. First of all it was smaller, then the space port was missing and looking into the distance her optics were unable to find the empty space of the demolition site.  
"Stay right where you are and don't make a move!" a commanding voice ordered her.  
Sil froze and heard footsteps coming closer. She knew the voice, but it had never talked to her like that.  
"Who are you?"  
Silhouette focused on the robot in front of her. Everything looked just like she remembered him, but the two things she found puzzling was that he didn't know her and then he should be on Earth in Autobot City!  
"Ultra Magnus?" she inquired cautiously.  
Ultra Magnus frowned. "Do I know you?" His gun never wavered, pointing at her mid-section.  
"Last time I saw you, yes," Silhouette answered warily. "I'm Silhouette, remember? The female Dinobot?"  
"There are no female Dinobots," the commander stated. "I don't know who you are or if you are what you claim to be, but you better not make any sudden moves. We'll let Optimus decide."  
He gestured with his weapon and Silhouette sighed in resignation. He didn't know her, he didn't know that there was a female Dinobot at all. The next thing he'd tell her was that she had never been born at all! Walking toward a building opposite of what Sil believed should be the South Port complex she saw several things that just didn't fit. Missing buildings, buildings that shouldn't be there .... What was going on here?  
Ultra Magnus locked her in a holding cell and Silhouette didn't even try to protest. She was furiously thinking about every little piece of information she had. The tunnel, the energy fields, Cybertron that wasn't really her Cybertron, Ultra Magnus who didn't know her... Weird.  
Then again, maybe not.....

* * *

Tornado watched his leader as Braintrust studied the readings they had taken. The Seeker leader was as good as new where his body was concerned, but Tornado wasn't so sure about his state of mind. It had taken the scientist over three years to repair at least the rudimentary basis structure of Braintrust's shattered and fractured mind, and five more years had gone into reshaping and healing the damage done to the lower levels. The higher functions had been treated parallely, but even today Tornado wasn't sure that Braintrust was himself again. Of course, the body was his -- though a new model. The voice was there, as was the single-mindedness of looking for an Interface. But sometimes.... Tornado had this creepy feeling that there was a battle going on inside Braintrust's mind and that whoever the winner would be, it wouldn't exactly be better. Braintrust had irrational attacks, fits and temper flares that threatened to kill one of his troops if he or she were unlucky enough to be around. Tornado, as the second-in-command, had been able to soothe his leader most of the times. He had nearly been killed himself when Braintrust had had such an attack, but somehow the Seeker leader had stopped short of the fatal blow.  
"Good," Braintrust now purred and looked at the dark blue robot. "Ready the ship, Tornado, we are going on a little trip."  
Tornado nodded and left the room. Outside he walked into Phoenix. The red and golden female Seeker gave him a questioning look.  
"We're leaving for a trip," Tornado said briefly.  
Phoenix sighed and shook her head. "He's still experimenting with this? I thought he had given up."  
He smiled humorlessly. "He never gives up, my dear. You know that."  
Phoenix nodded, knowing all too well. "Do you think it will work?"  
Tornado shrugged. "From the scientific point of view, yes, it should work. I reviewed everything and there is no flaw in the calculations. It's brilliant, I have to confess."  
That was another mystery about their revived leader. Braintrust had strokes of utter brilliance and his mind could work faster than any computer sometimes, but then he once more turned into a raving psycho and Tornado was hard pressed to remember that he was one of those who had sworn loyalty to this madman.  
"Dimensional gateways," Phoenix muttered. "What makes him believe he can find a suitable Interface there?"  
"I don't know. He says he just knows that there is someone in this dimension to fit his needs." Tornado's face was suddenly shadowed and Phoenix touched his arm. He smiled at her. "We'll see," he just said.

* * *

Rodimus Prime turned away from the video screen and shut down the files. He had been reviewing archived stuff from the recently recovered Nebulan library and it made his head spin to look through all those reports, images and files. He needed a break and Shanygn's arrival here would give him this chance. He hadn't seen much of his Interface partner lately and he had to confess that he missed her presence. He knew she was with him, but her actual presence was better than the mere knowledge. Their Interface had grown stronger and stronger over the years, and Skywolf had remarked on how outstanding their development was. They had all the abilities of an Interfaced Sentinel, except for the merging. She couldn't phase into him. But her presence was still strong. Rodimus knew that the two of them shared even more.  
Walking out of his office he nodded a greeting at several passing Autobots. Midnight had just come back from Alean and would get Shanygn to Cybertron. Rodimus was looking forward to the few days off work. He and Shanygn had discussed doing some explorations on their own and he thought it was exactly what he needed: get away from everything.  
The overwhelming feeling of emptiness came without any warning. Rodimus gasped in surprise as an icy fist seemed to slam into his chest, wrenching his insides out. He toppled toward a wall and his hands clenched into the metal, trying to keep him upright.  
Lights!  
He groaned.  
Molecules being ripped apart.  
Rodimus gasped and his optics flickered badly.  
Darkness.  
"No," he moaned in protest.  
Someone grabbed him and he was moved somewhere. Rodimus protested feebly, trying to ward off the helping hands. Finally the icy coldness inside of him subsided into a hurting emptiness, like a tiny black hole. He knew that feeling. It was the same he had felt when the Matrix had been removed.  
"Rodimus!" a voice insisted.  
He looked up, feeling dazed and hurt.  
Optimus Prime stood over him, his hands on Rodimus' shoulders, shaking the dazed second slightly. Worry danced over the visible part of his face.  
"What happened?" the Autobot leader wanted to know.  
"I....I'm not sure." He shook with the reaction to the sudden overwhelming feelings of loss. "Shanygn...." His hands trembled even more. "Shanygn!"  
Optimus grabbed him more tightly as the younger robot began to shake uncontrollably. "What's wrong?"  
"She's gone," Rodimus whispered and his optics flared in pain and the incredible feeling of being alone.  
Optimus' optics were full of compassion. "Oh, no...." he whispered.

* * *

There was no real passing of time or space. For a second there was utter darkness, then it was replaced by a lighter grayish black. Steve blinked. It had been like stepping through a short, dark corridor into a new room. This room was utterly desolate. It wasn't a room at all. It was the remains of a house. To three sides walls rose up into the star speckled sky. The fourth wall was missing, as was the ceiling. It was a ruin, an old ruin.  
"Mid?" he asked and was rewarded with a moan.  
Steve was still Interfaced with his friend and even though Midnight had been knocked out by whatever it had been that had hit them, Steve was conscious. He immediately and almost instinctively checked his friend's systems and was relieved to find that nothing major was damaged.  
"Where's Shanygn?" Midnight asked as he sat up, gingerly touching his bruised skin where it had been torn.  
Steve used Midnight's scanners, giving his partner time enough to come back on line. He couldn't find her.  
"She's not anywhere near us -- wherever it is we are...."  
Midnight tried to stand and felt his knees wobble a bit. "And however we came here," he added dryly.  
"The Gate went wild."  
He sighed. "I think so, but why? It never happened before!"  
"There is always a first time for everything," Steve said humorlessly and then sighed.  
Midnight's mouth curled into a dark smile. He stepped out of the building and stopped in surprise. "Cybertron?"  
The planet was indeed Cybertron, but it looked ways different from what he remembered it to be like.  
"Oh, geez," Steve muttered. "What happened?"  
"Let me think about that while we search for Shan," his partner said softly.  
Their first priority was to find the missing woman, then they could puzzle about where they were. Steve nodded and activated the bio-scanner. Like all Interfaces Shanygn's biorhythm was programmed into every Sentinel. She had always belonged to their team and her pattern had always been inside Midnight's system. It was a precaution the Sentinels had taken in case someone was ever lost. The drawback was, the scanner had a limited range.  
Midnight transformed and took off after they didn't find her in the vicinity and entered a search pattern.

* * *

Rodimus Prime looked at the view screen and frowned. The captured female robot inside the holding cell stood in the middle of the room, her optics scanning everything, though there wasn't much to see.  
"A Dinobot?" he echoed. "She said that?"  
Ultra Magnus nodded. Grimlock gave a snort of laughter.  
"She no Dinobot," he said. "Never saw her before."  
"Maybe we should introduce her to her 'brothers' then," Rodimus thought out aloud.  
Silhouette didn't look like any female Autobot he had ever seen. She had the Autobot symbol, all right, and she seemed to be of Cybertronian origin, though that could only be determined through a check by First Aid, but he couldn't be sure about anything. The events in the recent years had shown him that trust was something someone needed to earn. He wouldn't give it to a stranger just like that.  
"Shouldn't we call Optimus first?" Ultra Magnus asked.  
"You do that, I want to see how she reacts to the other Dinobots." Rodimus turned to Grimlock. "Come on, let's watch the show.

* * *

"What do you mean she's gone?" Rodimus exploded and Optimus thought he'd shoot the screen in a moment.  
Skywolf looked at him, his optics calm and understanding. "I mean that like Midnight, Steve and Shanygn, Silhouette has disappeared. There was a burst of energy, a flare so to speak, and then they were all gone. It might be a Gating accident. We are looking into it right now. Wild Card is checking the Gates for clues."  
Rodimus' shoulders slumped and he suddenly looked beaten.  
"Keep us informed, Skywolf," Optimus said calmly and shut off the screen.  
"She's gone as well," Rodimus whispered and there was such a deep despair in his voice that Optimus winced.  
"We don't know that, Rodimus," he reminded him gently. "If it was a Gating accident, then they might be somewhere else."  
Rodimus shook his head. "I can't feel her anymore," he whispered. "Shanygn disappeared from one moment to the next." His hands clenched into fists. "And now Sil as well...."  
Optimus sympathized with him. He knew what a loss like that felt like, at least when it concerned your partner. He had no idea what Rodimus felt because of Shanygn's sudden absence. He could only help him with Silhouette's loss -- if she was really gone.  
"You can't give up," he told him forcefully.  
Rodimus turned, his optics angry reflections of his state of mind. "You don't even know what it feels like to lose someone who shared more than just a simple link! Shanygn and I were bonded! You don't know a thing about it!" He stared challengingly at his leader, but Optimus simply returned his glares with calm eyes.  
"She is for you what the Matrix is for me," the Autobot leader said. "I understand that."  
"She was more," Rodimus whispered, sinking back against the com console, burying his face. "She was like a part of me."  
Optimus touched his shoulder. "Her death is not confirmed, Roddy. Don't think of her as if she were dead! I do understand you. Maybe my experience in this matter is restricted to the Matrix and the female I loved, but Aleeta was a part of me as well. I felt her death, yes, but the time before that, when we fled with the Ark, I always had the hope to see her again. Maybe even now."  
Rodimus head came up at that confession. Aleeta's death was confirmed, but a small part of him understood that Optimus would nurture the hope that a miracle might revive her. A miracle had brought him back as well. He smiled shakily.  
"Okay," he said softly, straightening with an effort.  
Optimus smiled and let go of him. "Get some rest, then we'll meet with Skywolf and see what Wild Card has found out."  
Rodimus wanted to protest, but then nodded. "All right."

* * *

Snarl towered over the much smaller female in his robot mode and gave her a critical look. "She no Dinobot," he then grumbled.  
Sludge and Swoop nodded in agreement.  
"Too small," Sludge growled.  
"Too weak," Slag agreed, sizing her critically.  
Silhouette snorted. "Just because you guys are bigger than me doesn't mean you can insult me like this!" she said, feeling her temper rise.  
She had yet to find out what exactly was going on here, but she had a somehow crazy sounding theory about it all. Even if her theory was correct, she wouldn't let herself get insulted by those four!  
"Hah! You no match for real Dinobots!" Snarl proclaimed.  
A wicked smile appeared on Sil's face. "Wanna bet?"

Grimlock and Rodimus watched the confrontation from inside the command center, their eyes pinned to the view screen. Grimlock was ready to intervene if his Dinobots were about to act stupidly and Rodimus was ready to show himself and see what Silhouette's reaction to him was. Neither of them had expected what was to come. Silhouette really looked fragile and her claims to be a Dinobot somehow didn't fit her exterior. It was laughable.  
Until she transformed.  
Rodimus stared at the screen which now showed a velociraptor. Silhouette's dino mode wasn't very large, but there was no mistaking the four sharp talons on her hind legs and her hands, and the gleaming white teeth. Her built was sleek and radiated swiftness -- deadliness.  
Grimlock made a noise of surprise. "She got Dinobot body all right," he confessed.  
"And she kicks butt!" Rodimus added.  
Outside, all hell had broken lose. At least between Slag, Snarl and Silhouette. The female was fast and her claws struck quickly and painfully. Swoop stood back, just like Sludge, deciding to see what the outcome was. Slag threw Sil aside, but she was on her feet in no time. Slag's fire blasts bounced off her thick hide. Silhouette hissed a challenge and ducked for a new attack when someone called,  
"Stop it!"  
The two Dinobots stopped and looked up. Sil dared to glance over her shoulder and discovered Grimlock exiting the building, followed by ...  
"Rodimus," she whispered.  
But it wasn't him, she immediately saw. Though this robot looked exactly like the Rodimus Prime she knew -- intimately --, he was different in many ways, just like this Cybertron was like the one she knew, only different. Deciding to play it safe she stayed in her raptor mode and drew back her head in a stance of warning, ready to attack, hissing slightly.  
Grimlock regarded her with interest, Rodimus with curiosity, but more wariness than she had ever seen in those familiar, though also alien, optics.  
"My name is Rodimus Prime," he began to introduce himself.  
"I know," she answered.  
A brief smile crossed his lips. "I see. Care to talk a bit?"  
Sil didn't move from her position and neither did she relinquish her attack pose.  
"I'm sorry about this," Rodimus added and gestured at four rather confused Dinobots, who looked warily at the female in their midst. "We just wanted to be sure."  
"Sure about what?"  
"That you are what you claim to be?"  
Silhouette regarded him closely. She knew her Rodimus Prime, could read him and judge his words. This one was so much like him, but his eyes looked old, as if he had seen too much in too short a time. He didn't really trust her, which told her not to trust him explicitly as well, but he was also telling the truth.  
"No more experiments," she said, slowly retracting her claws.  
He nodded.  
Silhouette transformed and saw that Grimlock still regarded her curiously. Slowly she walked toward Rodimus, who made an inviting gesture toward the building. She knew now where she was, though she had no idea how she had come here or how to get back to her own world. This would be tricky.

* * *

Shanygn had the feeling of being cut apart molecule by molecule, then reassembled, but in the wrong way. Lights danced around her, suddenly replaced by darkness, then light again. She wanted to scream, to yell, to shout, but she couldn't. All of a sudden, the feeling was gone. She could move, she could breathe......  
Someone grabbed her arm and she whirled around. It wasn't exactly what her body had had in mind to be the first move after such an experience. Her knees buckled and the whole world tilted and began a merry dance. With a groan she closed her eyes.  
Voices reached her ear. Urgent voices.  
She opened her eyes and saw a face swim into focus. "Who?" she croaked, feeling her voice waver.  
"Shanygn?" a familiar voice asked.  
Shanygn blinked. "Sil?"  
The blurry face above her became a clear picture. Silhouette smiled at her. "How do you feel?"  
"Got the number of that planet that hit me?" she muttered and tried to sit up.  
Sil helped her and Shanygn immediately noticed that she wasn't wearing her exo-suit. Slight panic spread inside of her. Then her eyes fell on a second figure in the room and she gaped at him. It was Rodimus! Then again, maybe not. Through their Interface link she was somehow always aware of him -- there was no such awareness in her now. Only emptiness. She shivered as she dwelled too long on the aching void inside her and shoved it out of her conscious mind. The more they Interfaced, they stronger they connected -- and the worse loss and pain was felt.  
"What's going on here?" she demanded.  
"That is something your friend Silhouette was about to explain to me when you arrived," Rodimus said and Shanygn heard no difference between him and her Roddy.  
She looked at Sil. "How did I arrive here?"  
"Dimensional gateway," the female Dinobot answered.  
"Oh, great!" Then a thought struck her. "Midnight!"  
Silhouette stared at her in surprise.  
"Who's Midnight?" Rodimus wanted to know.  
"Midnight?" Sil echoed.  
"Yes, he Gated with me when it happened!" Shanygn's forehead wrinkled in a worried frown.  
Rodimus crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Why don't we start from the beginning and you two finally tell what is going on here?"  
Shanygn nodded, slightly absent-minded. Suddenly the door to the medical ward or wherever she was opened and a humanoid woman stepped in. She was tall, blonde and wearing some kind of dark jumpsuit. Her eyes darted from the two visitors to Rodimus Prime.  
"What's going on here?" she demanded.  
"We were just coming to that," Rodimus said calmly. "Care to join us?" A faint smile played around his lips.  
"You bet!"

* * *

In another dimension Rodimus Prime sat on his recharge bed, unwilling to surrender himself to the rest he badly needed. He didn't want to shut down, afraid of the dreams. He knew the dreams that would surely come intimately. As Hot Rod he had had them right after the Matrix had been taken from him. They had only stopped when he had met Shanygn. He sighed.  
What had happened to her? What had happened to Midnight and Steve? And Silhouette. He felt an even greater emptiness open up inside of him as he pondered the possible permanent loss of the two most important people in his life he never wanted to be without. Shanygn was a part of him, his soul, his mind, and Silhouette was a part of his life. He began to tremble with the reaction to the sudden loss and the possibility that it might be forever.  
"No," he whispered. "No!"  
His hands clenched into the recharge bed and he fought the desperation inside of him. They couldn't be gone! They just couldn't!

* * *

Shanygn rubbed her tired eyes. She felt beaten and ready to keel over into the next available bed. This meeting had been going on for hours now and her body was demanding some rest, though she doubted her mind would be able to rest at all.  
They were in another dimension, okay, so much she could accept. This dimension had the same planet of Cybertron, there were the same people running around, though part of their history had apparently not happened like in the dimension she had come from. Neither of them knew either Silhouette or Shanygn and the word 'Sentinels' evoked blank looks.  
"Most intriguing," Perceptor said. "A dimensional portal to another world. I heard about the possibility of such strange phenomena, but I had never imagined it possible that actual living matter could be transferred!"  
At least everyone sounded like his dimensional twin, Shanygn mused with a smile. But things were also different on a more subtle level. Her eyes rested on Rodimus Prime. He was physically the same as her Interface partner, but she couldn't feel him like she felt Roddy. Then there was the look in his eyes, like he had seen too much and wanted to remember nothing of it. Optimus Prime was almost like his twin, again only subtly different. The two of them seemed to share the position of Autobot leader, which was almost similar to the situation back in Shanygn's dimension. But then there was the woman, Lancer. Shanygn was troubled by her. She didn't know why. She appeared normal enough, give or take a few odd things, but Shanygn was the last to talk about odd. She wasn't human herself. But there seemed to be a connection between Lancer and Rodimus, and Shanygn suspected that they shared a relationship not unlike that between herself and Rodimus.  
"So we have to find a way to get you two back to where you came from," Optimus said calmly.  
"We need to find Midnight first," Shanygn contradicted. "He Gated and we entered this doorway together. He has to be here somewhere."  
"There were rather strong disturbances in sector 91, Optimus," Perceptor said. "He might have been positioned there by the gate."  
"Possible. Search this sector thoroughly," Optimus ordered.  
"And don't shoot him," Sil added.  
"We would never do that!" Perceptor protested.  
The Dinobot smiled slightly. "I'll ask you again after you met him."  
Optimus gave her an inquisitive look, but Sil didn't say anything else.  
"We should get to work on how to send you back anyway," Rodimus said now. "We don't know if this gateway stays open for much longer."  
Shanygn nodded, suppressing a yawn. "Good idea."  
Lancer looked at her. "And you should get some sleep," she said.  
Shanygn sighed. "There are a lot of things I should get," she muttered, but slid down from her chair when the woman gestured her to follow her. She waved at Silhouette and the female nodded.  
Left alone with the two leaders, Silhouette wondered what else they wanted to know.  
"This Interfacing," Rodimus now said. "How does it work."  
Sil laughed softly. "I think you have the wrong person there. I have only limited knowledge of the process. You should ask Midnight, he's a Sentinel. Or Shanygn."  
Rodimus looked surprised. "Shanygn?"  
Silhouette smiled wickedly all of a sudden. "Yes, because she's Interfaced with you."  
Maybe it had been the wrong thing to say, but suddenly the young leader looked outright shocked. Optimus only frowned deeply.  
"What did I say?" Sil asked in surprise.  
"Nothing," Rodimus said quickly, too quickly for her liking.  
The Dinobot shrugged. It hadn't been 'nothing', but if he decided to shut up about it, so be it. This wasn't her Rodimus Prime; this was a dimensional twin. This fact also let her be very careful about telling too much about Midnight himself. She had mentioned that the Sentinels were a difference from this dimension to hers, but she had yet to tell them everything about Interfacing. They only knew that it was a connection between two different beings. And from Rodimus Prime's expression when she had revealed that fact, he knew something she didn't. Oh, well, all of this had time until Midnight was found.

*

Lancer regarded Shanygn with interest. They had found the alien woman in one of the sectors the energy flare had appeared in and Lancer had been among those who had gone out to investigate. She had found a robotic, bipedal, though rather small creature with wings and a tail. Lancer had quickly found out that this was just an exo-skeleton and that the one inside was a perfectly normal humanoid. She had brought the woman back and they had removed the exo-skeleton. First Aid had checked the woman and found out that the skin-tight jumpsuit she was wearing was in reality an exo-skeleton connecting to another artificial system inside of her. Lancer's first guess, that it might be the result of heavy experiments and that the woman might be someone who had been 'toyed' with by the Jabez, had been proven wrong. First Aid had told her that this skeleton mimicked her nervous functions and that she would be completely paralyzed without it. It was a handicap she had had since birth, from what the Autobot medic had found out.  
Shanygn raised one blue-black eyebrow. "See anything disturbing?" she asked.  
Lancer smiled slightly. "No. I'm just intrigued by this suit."  
Shanygn sighed. "I'm not. I hate this exo-skeleton and I wish I had another choice." She shrugged. "It helps me, but it also keeps me from doing a lot of other things."  
Lancer leaned against the table in the human-sized quarters she had led Shanygn to. "What does it mean to be Interfaced?"  
Shanygn sat down on the bed, testing it. "Oh, that is a long story. I can only tell you what it means for Roddy and me."  
"Rodimus and you?" Lancer exclaimed, suddenly looking very alarmed.  
"What did I say? I mean my Rodimus Prime, not the guy you know." Shanygn frowned.  
"I see. Are you two ... connected?"  
"In many ways." Shanygn's frown deepened. She didn't know why, but something was eluding her here. What had shocked Lancer like that? "You see, I met him right after he lost the Matrix. The loss created an empty space inside of him, which I somehow filled. I'm not a replacement part," she added with a wry smile. "We both gained from this. We're connected and we're still separate persons." Suddenly an expression of horror crossed her face. "Oh, no!"  
"What?"  
"He must think I'm gone!"  
Lancer frowned now. "Why? You aren't dead."  
"But we are separated by dimensions!" Shanygn ran her hands through her short, blue hair. "Oh, damn!"  
"You get some sleep, we will work on getting you back, Shanygn," Lancer calmed her. "And we will find your friend."  
Shanygn looked a bit distant, but she nodded. "Thanks."  
Lancer left the woman alone. Outside she leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. Shanygn was connected to her dimension's Rodimus, just like Lancer was connected to the Rodimus Prime of this dimension. Was it a coincidence? And what did it mean for them? She walked away from the living quarters.  
<< Rodimus? >> she broadcast.  
He answered immediately and he sounded as disturbed as she felt. Minutes later she was with him. Their eyes met,.  
"What do you think?" he asked quietly.  
"I don't know what to think. I can accept dimensional gateways, but their dimension runs too much parallel to ours in many ways. The history is nearly the same up to a certain point."  
"Up to the point Optimus Prime came back," he agreed.  
"It differs only in the aspect of the Sentinels and the Interfacing." She looked at him more closely. "Shanygn is connected to your dimensional twin, just like I am connected to you."  
He nodded. "Silhouette mentioned something like it."  
"Do you think the connection runs into the same direction ours does?" Lancer asked softly.  
He smiled. "Not if I can believe that Dinobot."  
Lancer raised an eyebrow.  
"Sil and the other Rodimus are an item."  
She chuckled. "I see." Then she grew serious again. "But the fact remains that Shanygn is a part of him, just like we ...."  
He touched her mind, gently, carefully, and unlike years before, she let him. They had come a long way.  
"She's an empath?" he wanted to know.  
"Possible. But I don't think Interfacing requires empathy." She shook her head. "This is so strange, Rodimus."  
"You don't think it is the work of ....them?"  
His voice suddenly held a cold tone.  
"No. First Aid checked her for everything I once told him. The suit she wears is nothing but a way to enable her to walk." She sighed. "Do you think we can send them back."  
He nodded. "Yes, I believe we can. Perceptor has already located the dimensional breach. All we have to do now is find this Midnight character."

* * *

Braintrust smiled coldly. Tornado shivered, but he remained where he was, which was at the side of his leader. Except for him, there were only Phoenix and Twister on board. Braintrust had commanded the others to stay behind. The shuttle was packed tightly nevertheless. Braintrust's massive form filled the bridge and Phoenix had decided to stay back in the passenger compartment with Twister, preparing for their jump. Tornado sighed inaudibly as he watched their jump point come closer. He didn't know if this was such a good idea, but saying so would get him decapitated very fast.  
"Perfect," Braintrust muttered and turned his head to look at his second-in-command. "Prepare to enter the dimensional jumpway."  
Tornado nodded and his fingers flew over the console's keyboard. The ship shuddered slightly as they neared the dimensional opening and Tornado adjusted the stabilizers, compensating for the size. The smaller the vessel, the easier it was to maneuver inside the disturbances caused by the two dimensions touching. Because they had Braintrust aboard they had to take a larger ship.  
Braintrust chuckled as the ship drew closer and closer. "This is just perfect."  
And then they entered the dimensional jump point. Tornado clutched the controls so he wouldn't get thrown around the bridge. As fast as the turbulences had come, they were gone again.  
"Cybertron."  
The pleased statement let Tornado's optics turn to the view screen. There it was, a bit different from what he remembered it like. He knew it had entered a second Golden Age, but even when he had seen his old home again -- at the time they had tried to force Midnight into surrendering Steve to Braintrust -- it had not looked like this. The new Moon Base the Autobots had constructed was missing as well. They were truly in another dimension.  
"Hide us from their sensors," Braintrust ordered. "Then prepare to land."  
"Yes, commander," Tornado complied and the ship changed course.

* * *

Silhouette wished she had an idea where Midnight was. The longer the Sentinel couldn't be found anywhere, the more she was afraid something had happened. She hadn't left the control room for one second and stayed in the background, out of everyone's way. She knew that now and then she was regarded curiously, but she ignored everyone. Suddenly Blaster's console lit up with an incoming message.  
"They found your man!" the communications expert called cheerily, then frowned. "What?" He looked at the message again. "Aw, no!"  
"What's wrong?" Silhouette demanded, her voice clipped and holding a command tone.  
Blaster reacted to the tone out of training. "He ran into the Aerialbots and they nearly shot him down."  
"What?!" she exclaimed. "Is he okay?"  
"Apparently yes. They are getting him here."  
Optimus walked over to their female visitor, who was looking at the message with angry blue optics. He talons were unsheathed.  
"I told you not to shoot! He's different!"  
"How?" the Autobot leader asked calmly.  
"Wait and see."

* * *

"Seekers!" Wild Card hissed as he watched the ship move slowly toward a specific point.  
"Wonder where they surfaced from," Jeff muttered. "Haven't heard or seen them in years!"  
"I could have gone on for some more years without this sight," Wild Card snorted.  
The coordinates the Seeker ship was aiming at matched those the former Seeker had aimed at himself. Jeff had discovered a mild disturbance in space and Wild Card had immediately begun to investigate. The strange energy pulses had intrigued him and he had called in, reporting his discovery.  
Knight, who had joined him half an hour later, nodded solemnly. She had arrived earlier than the others because she had been closer. Now the two watched the ship from a safe distance.  
"What the hell..." she began.  
Wild Card gave a gasp of surprise. From one moment to the next the ship was gone.  
"I'm reading a flare," Jeff reported. "Like a warp gate or something."  
The two Sentinels exchanged glances and saw the decision to investigate this in each other's optics. Jeff didn't even try to voice a protest and point out that they should wait for the others. He knew it would be futile.  
Wild Card took the lead and carefully approached the coordinates the Seeker ship had aimed at. There were more disturbances here and it looked like they were getting stronger by the second. Knight scanned this area of space quite closely.  
And then it happened.  
There was a flash of blackness, then they hovered in space again.  
"What was that?!" Wild Card muttered.  
"Uh-oh," Knight said ominously.  
"Cybertron!" Jeff exclaimed.  
The planet hung before them in space and it was clear to all three of them that this was not their planet. All had seen it numerous times, and this one here didn't look right.  
Wild Card took the initiative and changed his course for Cybertron. If the Seekers were here as well it meant trouble and he wasn't about to let them wreck havoc on the unsuspecting population of this world!

* * *

About half an hour after the call had come in Optimus Prime had the answer to his question. Together with Rodimus he was outside the complex when the Aerialbots and their last visitor came in for a landing. Optimus saw nothing abnormal about the black jet approaching them, but when he transformed he was hard pressed not to move back from him. Midnight made his name all honor. He was completely black, which would be no problem, but he seemed to suck in the light around himself, creating a miniature black hole. Strange, yellow colored tubes poked out between what looked like organic skin, and the green visor over the robot's optics glowed softly.  
"Mid!" Silhouette exclaimed. "Are you all right."  
"I'm fine," the Sentinel answered warily. "What's going on here? Where's Shanygn?"  
"Asleep," Sil answered. "Come on in and I'll explain it to you."  
Optimus watched the two meet with First Aid, who had been ordered to check the newcomer, and then walk inside. He turned to Rodimus, whose optics were narrowed.  
"Creepy," the younger leader muttered.  
"A rather mild word for it," Optimus said. "I never met a robot quite like him."  
Rodimus nodded. "I wonder what surprises he holds."

* * *

 _  
Something tore into her, evoking incredible pain.  
_   
_  
A bright, white room was all around her.  
_   
_  
Pain.  
_   
_  
Desperation.  
_   
_  
Cold.  
_   
_  
Agony.  
_   
_  
Screams  
_   
_  
Someone seemed to be close by.  
_   
_  
More pain.  
_   
_  
Cold, clinical eyes regarded her.  
_   
_  
More screams.  
_   
_  
Her mind seemed to explode.  
_

Shanygn woke with a gasp, her body covered in sweat. The exo-skeleton automatically began to compensate for her overproduction of sweat. Shanygn tried to control her breathing, but the images stuck to her. She trembled with the reaction of what she had felt and she didn't dare to think what might have been the source, but the thought still wormed its way to her conscious mind.  
"Roddy!" she whispered.  
She shivered and buried her head in her hands. It was the only explanation at all. She and Rodimus were linked and intense emotions transmitted between them. But what did these images mean? Was he in danger? If so, what from?  
Shanygn tried a relaxation exercise and got the trembling under control, but she was still shook up. She decided to take a walk. The room was suddenly oppressive and seemed to choke her.  
There were few Autobots in this complex and she was thankful for it. But she still ran into Lancer. The humanoid woman looked at her and frowned.  
"What happened to you?"  
Shanygn attempted a smile. "Didn't sleep well. Where's Sil?"  
"She's with your friend Midnight. We found him a few hours ago."  
"And you didn't tell me?" Shanygn exploded, immediately sorry for the outburst, and also ashamed. She rubbed her head. "Sorry. Where are they?"  
"I'll show you to the lab." Lancer regarded her critically. "Are you sure you're okay?"  
"Yes, yes."  
"You don't look okay."  
"I'm okay!" Shanygn said and her tone told Lancer that being more direct in her attempt to find out what was wrong would not be taken well.  
She led Shanygn to First Aid's lab. Rodimus was there as well, watching the examination. When the two women entered, he turned and Shanygn was hard pressed not to stumble.  
 _  
Bright light.  
_  
 _  
White.  
_  
 _  
The room.  
_  
 _  
Pain.  
_  
 _  
Screams.  
_  
She pulled herself together and looked at Midnight, who patiently let First Aid do another scan.  
"Is he okay?" she wanted to know.  
"Everything seems all right," Silhouette answered. The Dinobot looked worried, but also relieved.  
First Aid came out of the examination room. "Very interesting design," he said. "I have never seen anything quite like it. This organic layer of skin...."  
"Organic?" Lancer asked.  
"Yes. There is a layer of organic skin over his metal skin and it is able to morph!" First Aid was clearly enthusiastic.  
Silhouette smiled at Shanygn. This First Aid showed the same reaction their own medic had shown when he had first examined the Sentinel leader.  
"But he's okay?" Rodimus wanted to know.  
"Just a bit bruised from AirRaid's shot. No problem. But I'm a bit puzzled by my last scan." First Aid looked at his patient, who was sitting on the examination table. "There seems to be more organic matter inside of him."  
"Organic matter? Like what?" Lancer asked sharply.  
"Like an Interface," Silhouette explained calmly.  
"It's physical?" Rodimus exclaimed.  
"To a degree, yes," Midnight answered and stepped out of the other room.  
Lancer had to hold on to herself not to react to the threatening looking presence of the slender robot. He was about as tall as Rodimus, but he appeared slimmer, with less edges. He was clearly an airborne robot and the skin gave him a completely different look. Very smooth, very dark.... creepy.  
"You didn't tell them?" the Sentinel now asked Silhouette.  
"Only the differences between this dimension and ours. You don't exist here and neither do the two of us," she gestured at Shanygn and herself.  
"Ah." Midnight eyed Rodimus and Lancer.  
"You join with a humanoid on a physical level?" Lancer now asked, her voice slightly cold. "Who designed you to do it?"  
Midnight raised his hands as if he wanted to surrender. "Easy with the icy looks. This isn't what you might think! It's a voluntary partnership!"  
Lancer looked at Shanygn. "And you do it as well?"  
"No. This particular part of Interfacing is solely for Sentinels. No other robot has the equipment to do it." She looked at Midnight. "Is Steve all right?"  
"Fine." Midnight looked warily at them all. He clearly didn't like this situation and he was reluctant to surrender his partner to the strangers, even though he knew them from another dimension.  
"Why are you reacting so hostile to this?" Silhouette now asked straight out. "I know it is a bit weird to hear this, but no one gets hurt."  
Lancer and Rodimus exchanged quick glances. There was an odd look in both their eyes.  
 _  
Pain.  
_  
 _  
Desperation.  
_  
 _  
Alone.  
_  
 _  
Cold.  
_  
 _  
Fear.  
_  
 _  
Don't let them see it! Hide! Pretend!  
_  
 _  
They can't hurt me!  
_  
Shanygn clenched her teeth together as the images out of her nightmare came back. Her hands trembled and she felt like screaming.  
"I need to take a walk," she muttered and hurried out of the lab.  
Midnight was suddenly worried. "What's wrong with her?"  
"Maybe it's the separation," Silhouette mused out aloud. "I'll talk to her." She left as well.  
Midnight, left alone with Rodimus and Lancer, sighed, then looked at the two. "Okay, I think since we're alone now, I should start with an explanation."

* * *

 _  
Bright light.  
_  
 _  
White.  
_  
 _  
The room.  
_  
 _  
Pain.  
_  
 _  
Screams.  
_  
In the other dimension Rodimus Prime grasped his chest and groaned with pain. The pain was like a hot needle being plunged into his most inner self and he had a difficult time not screaming in agony.  
 _  
Pain.  
_  
 _  
Desperation.  
_  
 _  
Alone.  
_  
 _  
Cold.  
_  
 _  
Fear.  
_  
 _  
Don't let them see it! Hide! Pretend!  
_  
 _  
They can't hurt me!  
_  
He fell to his knees, arms wrapped around himself as his body and soul were attacked by the images of torture and death.  
"Shan!" he breathed with a sob.  
Could it be her? It felt like her and he had a lot of experience with their telepathic link. What were they doing to her? Were they doing to her at all or was she just witnessing something? Whatever it meant, the primary meaning was that she was in some way alive, but in terrible torment.  
[Shanygn!] he cried desperately, but there was no reply.  
He shakily pulled himself up, leaning against the wall until he trusted his legs to carry him. He needed to know about the search results!

* * *

Braintrust looked around the planet that had once been his home, at least in another dimension, and smiled. "Nobody saw us?" he asked rhetorically.  
"No, commander," Tornado answered, setting up a stronger stealth shield for the area they had chosen as their temporary headquarters.  
"Good. Now scan for the patterns I put together! I want the specimen found and brought to me!"  
The three Seekers set to work and it didn't even take ten minutes for Twister to confirm a direction they had to take. While Braintrust settled back and allowed himself a feeling of triumph, Phoenix, Tornado and Twister fanned out into the general direction where the scanner had found the pattern.  
Very soon now he'd have his Interface and none of those meddlesome Sentinels or the Autobots could stop him. On this planet in this dimension he wasn't known and the humanoid he had chosen as his Interface wouldn't even have a chance!

* * *

"Incoming intruder!" Blaster called and activated the alarm.  
Rodimus was roused out of his interview with Midnight and activated the intercom. "Who is it? Decepticons?"  
"No. Doesn't fit the pattern at all, Rodimus. And there's two of them performing a dance with our defense system that you wouldn't believe it!"  
Rodimus hurried into the command center where Optimus was already present. Midnight followed them and looked at the screen. There were two dots there, darting and moving around like mad.  
"No ID?" Optimus asked.  
"None so far, Prime. I can only say that if we don't get our guys up there, those guys will come through!"  
"May I?" Midnight reached for the keyboard and typed in a few commands. "I don't believe it!" he then exclaimed.  
"Know them?" Rodimus asked neutraly.  
"Know them? Of course! Shut down those defenses!"  
Blaster exchanged a quick look with Optimus, who merely nodded, then keyed in the correct commands. Midnight was already running outside, talking to someone over the com line. The two leaders followed swiftly.  
The moment they arrived outside as well they saw the two intruders coming in. One was a jet, colored in a golden brown and dark green. It transformed smoothly into a robot with the same symbol Midnight wore. The second was a horse, deep red and silver in color, and when it transformed, touching down with a graceful move, Optimus could only stare. It was a female with a translucent appearing midsection. Dark red hair flowed out from under a helmet that covered her optics and nose. Two swords could be seen on her back.  
"You're all right!" the jet called and a genuinely relieved smile crossed his lips.  
"I'm fine, but what are you two doing here?"  
"Following a Seeker ship," the female explained, eyeing the two Autobot leaders with a interest.  
"Seekers!" Midnight's voice took on a cold note.  
"Yes, they homed in on the coordinates we picked up some strange disturbances from and disappeared." Wild Card shrugged. "We followed them here -- wherever here is." The last words held a questioning tone.  
"Parallel dimension," Midnight said almost absent-mindedly. "What would the Seekers want here?"  
"Beats me, Mid."  
The Sentinel leader frowned thoughtfully. They hadn't heard from the renegade group in years and now ....  
"We have to find them and get them off this planet!"  
"Would you mind explaining what this is all about?" Rodimus asked.  
"Long story, but the short version is that the Seekers are a renegade faction of us Sentinels. None of them are Interfaced, but their leader always searched for a way to do it. Strangely enough it never worked. I believe it is because he forced the Interface to happen. Braintrust died several years ago, though we can't be sure he was completely destroyed." Midnight shook his head. "If he somehow survived, if Tornado restored the shattered brain unit, and he discovered the doorway to this dimension, this means only one thing: he wants an Interface."  
"But you said it couldn't be forced," Lancer interjected. "Why would he try it then?"  
"Because he is a maniac, that's why," Midnight sighed. "He will never give up."  
"But we don't know if he's here."  
"Which is why we need to find out!" Wild Card told Optimus forcefully. "He came here with a reason and I know only one reason why he would undertake such an endeavor: Interfacing. It's his goal in life. He will never give up."  
"He wouldn't have been able to pass through the defenses," Lancer objected.  
"Lady, we would have made it through," Knight told her with a smile.  
Lancer bristled slightly. "Only because we turned it off."  
"Guys, please!" Rodimus immediately intervened.  
"How do we know you are telling the truth about this?" Lancer suddenly asked, her suspicious streak hitting full force. "For all I know you could be the bad guys."  
Knight looked at her with an unreadable expression while Wild Card appeared to be close to exploding.  
"You don't know," Midnight answered easily. "All you have is our story."  
"Exactly. You appear here, tell us about a parallel dimension, which accidentally fits the energy disturbances we experienced, and then more of you appear, saying we should attack another group," Rodimus counted the events.  
"But we also don't know if it isn't a lie," Optimus now said.  
"How do you want us to prove it?" Wild Card demanded.  
"We'll launch a search for these intruders," Rodimus decided. "Then we hear their side of the story. And we would really have picked them up if they came in."  
Midnight seemed to grow several shades darker. "Be careful about it," he said. "And let us help. They are dangerous. We have to find them, no matter what. Your troops are not to engage any of them! They are far more dangerous than you might judge."  
Optimus nodded. "Possible," he said slowly. "Your friends can search for these intruders, but you will stay here."  
Midnight regarded him for a moment, then nodded reluctantly.

* * *

 _  
Rage.  
_  
 _  
Pain.  
_  
 _  
Madness.  
_  
 _  
Why?  
_  
 _  
What do you want?  
_  
 _  
Who are you!?  
_  
Shanygn squeezed her eyes shut and forcefully banished the pictures from her mind. They had been coming in full force for over ten minutes now, leaving her shaking and breaking out in cold sweat. She didn't know how to stop them. Her shields were barely holding up and whenever she thought they were gone, they came back, worse than before.  
And they made no sense! This couldn't be Roddy projecting them! It was like an echo of the past, repeating itself over and over again!  
With trembling hands she picked up her cup of coffee. Silhouette had accompanied her to the day room and had inquired about what was wrong. Shanygn had told her it was because of the separation from Rodimus. Silhouette had been called away before she could inquire further and maybe get Shanygn to tell her about the horrible visions.  
 _  
Cold hatred.  
_  
 _  
More pain.  
_  
 _  
Unbearable.  
_  
 _  
Clinical white rooms.  
_  
 _  
Screams of terror.  
_  
 _  
Snarls.  
_  
 _  
Agony.  
_  
 _  
Light so bright it hurt her.  
_  
 _  
More pain.  
_  
 _  
Tests.  
_  
 _  
Rage.  
_  
 _  
Examination.  
_  
 _  
NO!  
_  
Someone touched her arm and she looked into the face of a young girl. She was a red-head and her eyes were covered by glasses. Still Shanygn thought she felt the eyes of the girl scrutinize her.  
"Are you all right, lady?" the girl asked.  
"I think so, yes," she answered, too tired to play up a facade.  
"Who are you?"  
"My name is Shanygn. And you are...?"  
The girl smiled. "Edana."  
"Nice to meet you. You live here?"  
Shanygn was used to Melissa Witwicky hanging around on Cybertron, though the youngest child of Spike and Carly could mostly be found with First Aid and Perceptor, tinkering with that, playing with this. She was a whiz kid where machines were concerned.  
"Sometimes. When Mom visits Dad."  
The girl's stare was unnerving, even though Shanygn couldn't see Edana's eyes.  
"Are you visiting?" Edana now wanted to know.  
Shanygn smiled. "In a way, yes." Somehow she felt that she knew this girl, but that was absurd. She had never met Edana before.  
 _  
Fear.  
_  
 _  
Desperation.  
_  
 _  
Don't scream!  
_  
 _  
Don't show your fear!  
_  
 _  
Don't show your pain!  
_  
Shanygn gasped and pressed her hands against her temples. This was getting worse by the minute. Wherever the images came from, they seemed to bounce off everywhere around her, homing in on her as if she was the only recipient.  
"Ms Shanygn?"  
Edana's voice broke through and the hidden eyes seemed to bore into her with an intensity that made Shanygn forget about the images for a brief moment.  
"What is wrong?"  
"Nothing is wrong, dear," she answered in a slightly hoarse voice.  
"Then why were you suddenly in pain?"  
The direct question shocked Shanygn. How could the child know?  
"It's something of a backwash," she said softly. "Nothing anyone could help me with."  
"What backwash?" Edana's questions were coming straight to the point, unlike most children's. Melissa was sometimes very direct as well, but mostly where it concerned Cybertronian medic problems.  
"I'm separated from my partner and I think this causes this ... backwash."  
"Oh. You miss him?"  
"Very much," Shanygn confessed softly.  
"I miss my Daddy when I'm with Mom," Edana now said in a voice that was much more fitting to her appearance of a young girl.  
Shanygn smiled.  
Lancer suddenly entered the room and smiled at the child. "Edana!"  
The child turned and smiled. "Mom!"  
Shanygn was surprised, but she caught herself. Lancer was Edana's mother? She wouldn't have made any connection between the red-headed girl and the whitish blonde woman.  
"How about you go and play while I talk to Shanygn?"  
"Sure." The girl whisked out of the room.  
When Lancer turned to her, Shanygn saw how her expression changed from love and care to all-business.  
"Two more of your Sentinel friends arrived. They say that Seekers have come here as well."  
Shanygn felt her heart miss a beat. "Seekers?" she whispered. "Oh, no....."  
"Midnight and his friends are looking for them. Rodimus sent out a search detail as well." Lancer sat down in the chair opposite her. "We'll get the search results when they find something." She eyed the other woman.  
Shanygn knew how she must look to Lancer. She had seen herself in a mirror. Her light blue skin was parched white and her eyes had dark rings under them.  
"What is really wrong with you?" Lancer asked directly.  
Shanygn wanted to snap at her that she was just feeling a bit unwell, but she refrained from doing so.  
"I'm not sure," she muttered, playing with the coffee mug. "You know I'm Interfaced with my partner, my Rodimus Prime." Lancer nodded. "No one knows what happens when an Interface bond is severed; well, not really. Thon Roque, the former Sentinel leader, was heavily damaged in battle and died. His Interface partner survived the separation and died naturally of old age. Else no one has had any experience with the subject."  
Lancer's eyebrows rose. "Surely one of the Interfaces must have died of old age before and the robot partner survived."  
Shanygn smiled humorlessly. "No. That can't happen. We Interfaces stop aging."  
The blonde woman stared at her, mouth agape. "Stop aging," she echoed.  
Shanygn nodded. "No one knows why. Interfacing means more than just being partners. It's much more. I don't know how to describe it. It's ..... I mean, I feel Roddy's presence and it gives me an incredible security. He feels my presence as well and we're closer than anyone could ever imagine. It has its drawbacks because he projects quite strongly when he's angry or upset or hurt. I can shield myself from this and it's no problem. You accept it because it's only a minor negative aspect. We're also bound here," Shanygn touched her head, "and our unusual bond gives us unusual abilities." She sighed, rubbing her temples. "But since I came here .... I first didn't feel him, then came the images. I can't stop them and no shield holds for very long!" She shook her head in desperation. "If I feel like this, how does he feel?!" Closing her eyes, she muttered, "I don't know how to tell you this better because you wouldn't really understand......  
Lancer touched her hand, squeezing them. "But I do."  
The two of them looked at each other, blue eyes meeting.  
"We are not so different," Lancer said calmly. "I understand what it means to be connected to someone, to feel close and be felt."  
Shanygn was about to ask who Lancer was talking about when it happened again.  
 _  
The white room once more.  
_  
 _  
Bright, painful light.  
_  
 _  
Agony.  
_  
 _  
Rage.  
_  
 _  
Burning.  
_  
 _  
Fire.  
_  
 _  
Hatred.  
_  
 _  
Kill!  
_  
 _  
White light!  
_  
 _  
Resist!  
_  
 _  
Don't scream!  
_  
 _  
Exterminate!  
_  
Shanygn's last shield crumbled under the ever-echoing images pounding against them. She screamed, convulsing in agony.

Lancer had only a brief warning of the attack and she caught the falling body. But unlike she had expected, Shanygn wasn't unconscious. Her dark blue eyes burned with a feverish light and her face was twisted in agony.  
And then she struck out.  
Only Lancer's training stopped her from receiving a blow into the face.  
"No!" Shanygn screamed. "Stop hurting him!"  
She struggled and tried to get out of Lancer's tight grasp.  
"I'll kill you! Even if it's the last thing I do! I'll make you suffer like you tortured every single one of your victims!"  
An inhuman scream of agony nearly shattered Lancer's ear drums, then Shanygn collapsed.  
Lancer stared at the blue-haired woman in shock. Those words had rung a bell...... But it couldn't be!

* * *

Optimus Prime looked at Rodimus with a worried frown. It wasn't his imagination any longer that his young friend was turning a sick grey. His skin had lost its rich color and was slowly fading. He had never seen anything like it before, but he knew that this happened when a Cybertronian died. His own body had turned gray when he had died. No one could explain it, but it was a fact. Now Rodimus was losing his color and Optimus was very much afraid for him.  
Interfacing had given Rodimus more than it had taken, and Optimus had never had any negative feelings toward the Interfaces and he had been glad that Shanygn had given Rodimus the necessary hold. But this situation now showed him how violent a separation could be to those involved. Shanygn might have stopped aging through the Interface and never die of natural causes, but there were other reasons why they might one day lose each other. That it would happen so soon..... He squelched that thought.  
Optimus had had a long talk with Skywolf, the Sentinel medic who understood Interfacing the best, and Skywolf had told him how Midnight had responded to a separation from Steve. It had been the same.  
"He is feeling her absence even more because she is the Matrix for him. It opened up an old wound and he's reacting stronger to it than the time he lost the Matrix," the old Sentinel had explained, his optics as worried as Optimus'.  
And then Rodimus had told his older friend that he believed that Shanygn was at least partially still alive because he felt these images, saw them now and then, and it had to be terrible. Optimus had no idea how to help him, except grant him the wish to fly out to the point in space Wild Card had reported strange disturbances from.  
But then the report about the sudden disappearance of Wild Card and Knight had come in and Perceptor had come up with an explanation for the weird energy burst.  
"A dimensional break," the Autobot leader muttered softly.  
"And she's on the other side," Rodimus added, his optics glowing with a determined, almost feverish light. "I have to go there!"  
"Wild Card and Knight have already disappeared through this gateway, Rodimus ..."  
"I will go!" his second hissed angrily. "Don't try to stop me!"  
Optimus looked calmly at him and Rodimus hung his head, drawing a shaky breath.  
"I need to go....."  
"And you can go," Optimus said gently. "Just don't rush into anything. I know it hurts, I know you suffer the loss, but she is still alive, or so you said."  
"And in torment! The images told me quite clearly what she is going through!"  
"You don't know if it is her. She is in another dimension and your link is strained beyond belief," Optimus told him, reciting what Skywolf had theorized. "She might be all okay."  
Rodimus stubbornly shook his head. "She's not. Optimus, I know she is not! When is the shuttle ready?"  
"It's already waiting."  
The second-in-command turned to go.  
"Rodimus?" Optimus held him back.  
"Yes?"  
"Be careful."  
Rodimus nodded and left.

* * *

Phoenix felt sick to the core. She was a Seeker for only one reason: she wasn't Interfaced and had no tendencies to ever do so. She wasn't disgusted by the fact of having a humanoid partner, it just seemed so unnatural, that was all. And then there was Tornado, the only being she had ever felt close to. But being a Seeker also meant following the commands of her leader. Until a few months ago it had been Tornado, but then Braintrust had returned. Phoenix didn't know what it was that had driven Tornado to attempt to rebuild their former leader. He had settled into his command position, but she thought he had never felt cut out for the job. Well, no sense pondering this at all. She had her orders, even though she didn't like them very much.  
The child in her arms stirred and she once again felt disgust at herself. She was just a child! She was innocent! Then again, every Interface Braintrust had chosen had been innocent in many ways. None had deserved the violent death they had found.  
"She will die," she whispered.  
Twister looked at her and nodded. "Most likely," he said, his voice almost without emotions.  
Like every Seeker he had settled comfortably into his new life, a life without the constant search for Interfaces. No more quarrels with the Sentinels. Midnight had left them alone, just like Tornado had said he would. The Sentinel leader was no person to hunt them; he confronted them when they went against something he believed in, but he had never actively sought them out to terminate their existence. Now everything had once more changed. For the better ... that had to be determined.  
Phoenix shook her head. "I hate it."  
"We have our orders."  
She nodded and tried to banish the little voice inside of her that whispered to defy Braintrust and return the child.

* * *

"I put her into an artificial coma," First Aid explained calmly, "until I can determine what she suffers from."  
Midnight stared at the motionless, unconscious form of the blue-haired woman. Shanygn looked drawn, lines etched into her face, and she had lost all color. Then he turned to Lancer and Rodimus.  
"We need to talk," he said briskly, addressing Lancer.  
She nodded and followed him to an  joining room. Rodimus stepped in as well. When the door had been closed, Midnight scrutinized them.  
"You were with Shanygn when it happened," he addressed Lancer. "What did happen?"  
"She broke down. She had complained about having a bad time sleeping and I think she had a headache since she came here," Lancer said warily.  
"And?" Midnight demanded coldly.  
He was angry. Everything had been more or less easy until the Seekers had arrived. These people didn't trust them enough to take their word for it that the Seekers were too dangerous to simply talk to. And now Shanygn had had a break down and was in a coma. He didn't like it and he for sure wouldn't let those two tell him everything was just dandy! Steve tried to calm his temper, but Midnight didn't want to hear any of it. He was angry and he wanted to stay angry.  
"What and?"  
The Sentinel leader looked outright enraged now, his green visor flaring. "And what is it that is happening to her? I saw the way you looked at her, and at him," he gestured at Rodimus, "so what is it you know .... or think to know? And don't tell me it's nothing, because it isn't! It might kill her and it sure as hell isn't pure separation any more!"  
Lancer sighed, unable to decide whether to trust this stranger or not. Midnight crossed his arms in front of his chest.  
"We told you about Interfacing, we trusted you so far! We told you about us more than we know about you! Shanygn is going through a personal hell over there and you have the key to help her!" he snarled in rage as no answer came forward, his skin turning the deepest black Lancer had ever seen. "You don't trust us even so far that we are not lying about the Seekers!"  
"I'm not sure," Lancer finally said. "I'm not sure what happened to her, but it might have something to do with Interfacing." She glanced at the larger robot. "How close is this Interfacing? I mean really."  
Midnight gave her a thoughtful look, his anger cooling down a bit. "Depends on who you ask," he said with forced calm. "Steve and I, as well as Wild Card and Jeff, are very close. Steve and I share a hundred percent link, Wild Card is close to attaining one. Shanygn -- her case is a bit weird because she approached Interfacing from the other way around and she and Rodimus are still developing their link. But it has grown very strong lately. Why do you ask?"  
Lancer held up one hand, stalling the answer to this question. "One more question from me: what is the basis? A personal pattern? A program? How do you recognize your partner? And can you connect to another one?"  
There was a brief silence, then Midnight said,  
"The Interface is very personal and works only between two partners. No one else can access a link that has been established. I don't know how describe this to you. Steve somehow knows me and I know him. It's just like that."  
"I see."  
Rodimus and Lancer exchanged glances again, then Rodimus said,  
"I think she picked something up from me."  
Midnight stared at him, mouth agape. "What?"  
"When Shanygn broke down," Lancer said softly, "she attacked me and .... it was as if it was Rodimus coming out of ... a nightmare. We went through something like this." She felt clearly unwell telling him this.  
Midnight shook his head. "She's picking up an old nightmare?" he tried to clarify things.  
"Not so old," Rodimus confessed. "I sometimes have them...." He hesitated. This was getting too personal now.  
"I understand," Midnight said and smiled slightly, showing him he really did understand and that he wouldn't want every explicit detail. "And it might just be possible that she has picked up some of those nightmares, even old ones, because she is connected to our Rodimus Prime. Still, it's weird and new to me." He seemed to listen to something, then nodded. "Holding her in a coma won't help her. Her shields will be down permanently in this state."  
"Then what can we do? We still haven't found a way to get you back through the gateway you came through. It's rather unstable." Rodimus shrugged.  
"I think if she knows where these images are coming from," Midnight said thoughtfully. "she can shield herself better. Steve will talk to her while I go back looking for the Seekers."  
"Eh, how can you do that?" Rodimus inquired. "I mean, I thought you two were connected."  
"Wrong thinking," a new voice said and Rodimus stared at the dark-haired man in the black body armor. Blue eyes twinkled with amusement. "We are connected and we are separate. Mid here can very well function without me constantly hanging around."  
Lancer caught herself. This was getting more and more weird, especially since this guy had simply appeared out of nowhere! She had thought, from the explanations she had heard, that the Sentinels Interfaced on a more or less permanent basis, with the humanoid always being with the robot partner. Well, it looked like each party was holding back things to surprise the other one with.  
That was the moment the door to the room opened and Jazz came in.  
"Guys, we found the Seekers, but I guess we're a bit late for talkin'," he said carefully and his optics lingered on Lancer and Rodimus.  
A bad feeling coursed through the two of them.  
"What do you mean?" Midnight asked when none of them posed that question.  
"Looks like they found what they were searchin' for....." Jazz hesitated. "They kidnapped Edana....."

* * *

There was no visible sign that there was a portal or anything like a dimensional gateway anywhere near the coordinates Wild Card had transmitted before he had apparently entered the gateway himself. Rodimus stared through the viewing port, willing something to show up, but all he had was energy flares on a very subtle level.  
"I think I pinpointed the exact location of the gateway," Perceptor said.  
"Can we enter it?"  
"Unknown, but I wouldn't advise on doing it. The disturbances might damage this ship beyond repair or, in a worst-case scenario, destroy it."  
Rodimus tried not to glare at the scientist. "Wild Card and Knight went through."  
"They are considerably smaller than this vessel," Perceptor reminded him.  
"Then I'll take a shuttle."  
"Rodimus, I advise to ...."  
"And I will go anyway!" Rodimus hissed, "so spare me the good advice!" He turned on his heels and walked to the back of the ship, ignoring the glances of the Autobots aboard.  
Minutes later a shuttle left.  
Springer sighed softly. "I wish he would listen to us," he said.  
"He's beyond listening now," Kup said calmly and his voice sounded like he understood the young leader completely. "He's in pain."  
"But we are his friends!" Springer protested. "We could surely help him."  
"Lad, even Optimus has trouble getting through to him. He has lost a part of him, an important part, and if he doesn't get it back, he will wither away."  
Kup had long since realized what Shanygn meant for the young robot and he was glad they had found each other. Even if Interfacing was completely alien to him, he accepted it. It meant Rodimus' happiness and health and an unexpected addition to their forces. Seeing the young second like this, close to a break-down, hurt Kup. It was like the months after becoming Hot Rod all of a sudden again, but this time Kup saw the despair and the pain. This time Rodimus couldn't hide it.  
"Let's just hope he finds her," he said softly.

* * *

They had left the complex immediately after the message had come in. The Aerialbots had found the Seekers and they had also discovered Edana in their midst, held prisoner. Rodimus Prime was showing a furious anger in his optics that reminded Midnight of what he had felt millennia ago when he had found out that the Sentinels had played with his and Steve's mind to test them. He had been ready to kill each and every one of them for what they had done. The experience in the virtual reality space had driven both of them nearly insane. Lancer looked like carved out of stone, her face a mask, but her eyes just as alive with fury as Rodimus'.  
Steve had phased back into Midnight immediately and they had taken off after the pair. Whatever Lancer was planning, he wouldn't want her to confront Braintrust alone. She had no chance against him! He would squash her, even if she showed this unusual transformation ability.  
The Seeker's hideout was not very far from the complex and they arrived sooner in the area than he had thought. Wild Card had reported to him that there were only three Seekers and Braintrust, and he knew them all. Braintrust had sought cover in an abandoned building and his troops were stationed in a defensive circle around it.  
Lancer seemed to be seething with anger as Midnight touched down and Rodimus didn't look all too calm either. His expression was a carefully controlled mask, but his eyes were aflame with rage.  
"Let me talk to him," he told the angry woman. "Maybe I can get him to release Edana because I have something he wants even more."  
"And that is?" she hissed.  
"Steve and myself." At her suddenly blank look he added, "He's pursued us for millennia, trying to kill me and take Steve as his Interface. I could surrender myself to him and when he has released the child, you can attack."  
"Mid...." Wild Card began, shaking his head, "he won't go for it. You have defied him too many times. He'll kill you right away!"  
"Maybe. But it is a chance we have to take."  
Before any of them could discuss this matter any further, the giant shape of the dragon appeared in the building's ripped-out doorway. He was carrying Edana's limp body in one claw and deposited it in front of him. Lancer gave an angry shriek and suddenly seemed to bristle with energy. And then she changed shape. Midnight was not only a little bit shocked, but, he told himself, this had to be about the same amount of shock he induced into people when they saw him. A pair of horns had grown out between her blonde hair, her hands had turned into taloned claws and a tail flickered nervously from left to right.  
Rodimus' hands clenched into fists and he appeared like a tight rubber band ready to snap every second, but he still held Lancer back from storming toward the Seekers.  
"He has Edana!" Lancer snarled, her talons moving dangerously. "He's mine!"  
>> Never tangle with a mother << Steve told his friend and Midnight had to agree.  
>> Especially a shape-changing one ... <<  
"He has our daughter!" she cried. "Let me go!"  
Our? Midnight puzzled. What the ....? But he couldn't ponder this long enough. The situation at hand required all his concentration.  
"I see you have found this beautifully innocent world as well," Braintrust hissed and his bulging optics glowed as he looked at his long-time foe.  
"Release the girl, Braintrust!" Midnight demanded.  
"Why should I? She's just perfect!"  
"Because if you do, I will surrender to you."  
"Ah, a very tempting trade. But no, I won't fall for it. You have turned out to be too tainted for me, my young friend. And I have found the perfect Interface for me." He sneered.  
Lancer screamed and tore herself away from Rodimus. Her eyes held an expression of utter rage and her appearance was enough to induce heart failure.  
"Then fight for what you want!" she screamed and now it was no longer imagination that she flared with energy.  
"Fight?" Braintrust chuckled. "You?"  
"Yes! Afraid?" she challenged him, advancing even further.  
"Afraid of a human," Braintrust mocked. "Of course, my dear. You see me tremble with fear!"  
Midnight watched in horror as the Seeker leader loomed over the humanoid. He lifted one claw and -- she flung a bolt of energy at him. Braintrust snarled in pain and moved back, always keeping himself between the girl and his attacker.  
"Do we attack?" Wild Card asked.  
"No, we can't. He still has Edana," Midnight answered.  
His friend, a former Seeker himself, clenched his hands into fists, angry at the inactivity.

Phoenix watched the humanoid woman attack their leader and how he fought back. In her eyes it wasn't a fair battle, but she was proven otherwise within minutes. The female was well able to defend herself, but she seemed to hold back because of the child. The female Seeker looked at the small body. They had merely stunned the girl and she was sleeping. No harm had been done to her and Phoenix felt a strange sensation of care rise inside of her. Robots had no paternal feelings, she knew, but they could care and they could love, they had a whole display of emotions, and right now Phoenix didn't know how to go up against this whole array attacking her.  Finally she listened to the insistent voice inside of her and acted.  
Transforming into the bird that had given her the name she flew toward the battle scene. Like a flaming mad streak she passed the combatants and dove for the girl. She heard Tornado yell at her to stop as he tried to reach her over the personal com line. This was madness! Phoenix knew it was, but she had to do it. Her claws closed around the frail body and she took to the air again.  
Braintrust roared in protest. "What are you doing!?" he demanded.  
"Listening to myself!" she retorted.  
"Then listen to yourself die!"  
The blast from his stinger tail threw her forward and toward a building. Phoenix screamed and forced herself to transform, even though it ripped more circuits and muscle cables. Cradling the girl protectively she slammed back first into the building. She gasped in pain as her wings were torn and her tail feathers ripped off. Her back skin broke in several places and the pain was unbearable now. But Edana was safe. With a sob she curled over the girl, shielding her from what would come next. Her consciousness was fading, but she clung to her remaining awareness. White noise filled her audio receptors and her optics registered nothing but blurred outlines. But the girl was safe, only that counted now.

Lancer saw the female Seeker take her daughter, rescuing her from this monstrous robot and then crash into the building as Braintrust shot her.  
And then a shot glanced off Braintrust's body. She saw Rodimus running toward the dragon, firing wildly. Braintrust's tail caught the angry robot and slammed him aside.  
"I had you once before, Rodimus Prime," Braintrust hissed. "And I nearly killed you. Maybe it was in another dimension, but we can finish what I started here quite easily."  
A fiery stream shot out of his open mouth and enveloped the Autobot, who went to his knees. The Sentinels had not hesitated for a second and were now joining in as well, but Braintrust was as powerful as ever, his skin armored to deflect even a combined blast from Wild Card and Midnight.  
With a scream that was no longer human Lancer gave voice to her hatred and anger. Suddenly every restraint was gone. Her demonic looks were only a faint disguise of what was inside of her and she unleashed it without mercy upon the one being that had dared to kidnap and threaten her daughter. The world around her blurred into nothingness, only Braintrust remained. He was her focus, he was her victim .... and he would die! He would suffer and he would writhe in agony until she had removed the last bit of energy from this horrific body. She lost track of time, of the world, of everything but him.  
Die!

Rodimus knew what would happen and he knew it would stick with her for too long a time to risk it. He staggered to his feet. "NO!"  
But it was too late.  
Lancer's hair flared nearly white and spread out like caught in a non-existent wind behind her. Energy crackled all around her, but it seemed to come from only one source: Braintrust. The Seeker leader bellowed in agony, then began to trash around, sending everyone scattering for safety. Lancer didn't move, her whole attention focused on her enemy.  
Midnight was nearly hit by a stray energy bolt and he felt the sucking effect of whatever it was Lancer was unleashing. He got barely out of her way and transformed, sliding a few feet.  
"Oh-oh," Knight muttered, still carrying her swords in her hands.  
Tornado was running toward Phoenix, who hadn't moved since the brutal collision with the wall.  
An audio-shattering scream tore out of Braintrust's throat and his optics burst, showering the ground with shards. Then his mighty body collapsed as the last of his energy resources were drawn out of his shaking body. He twitched once, twice, then he was dead. Lancer's hair fell back over her shoulders again and she stared at the dead monster that had dared to take something she loved dearly. There was no emotion on her face. Her head slowly turned to where Phoenix lay. Her appearance hadn't changed and right now she wasn't someone to cross paths with. Her eyes were fixed solely on the broken robot, the place where her daughter was. Her mind screamed in pain, expecting the worst.  
She started to walk.

*

Optimus looked intently at the young robot in front of him. Rodimus Prime looked ready to keel over any second. His skin was grayish and his eyes held a feverish light. The hand holding the gun was shaking badly. This wasn't his Rodimus Prime, he knew, but he had gone through something like this before, maybe even worse. Optimus had sent every Autobot out of the corridor leading to med bay, deciding this was best settled alone. Rodimus had stormed into this building, going up against everyone who had tried to stop him with a ferocity that told Optimus more than he wanted to know.  
"Rodimus," he said softly. "Your friend is okay."  
Rodimus groaned and stumbled a bit. "Where...?" he breathed.  
And then it happened. The young Autobot screamed in unbearable pain and collapsed. Optimus caught him, the gun clattering to the floor. Rodimus spasmed, whimpering and curling into a protective stance. Optimus held him, unable to help, but trying nevertheless.  
"Shan," Rodimus whispered. "No! Please ....."  
All of a sudden he lashed out, catching Optimus at the shoulder. The older Autobot was stunned for a second, then held him down until he quieted once more, sobbing slightly. Optimus kept a hold on the shaking robot, wishing he could do something. "She is okay," he repeated.  
Rodimus sobbed slightly and went nearly completely limp as the attack stopped. His optics flickered and he turned his head, looking at the Autobot leader, confused, dazed and very vulnerable. It hurt to see him like this, even if it wasn't the Rodimus Prime he was used to. Optimus helped him to his feet, steadying him.  
"I'm ... sorry," Rodimus whispered shakily. "I didn't want ....."  
"Nothing happened," Optimus assured him with a faint smile. "And your friend is okay. She just needs you." His smile widened as he saw the sudden change of expression in the other's face. "Come on," he simply said. "I'll lead you to the med bay."

*

Tornado gently touched Phoenix' shoulder and it evicted a moan. The female looked terrible, her back badly bruised, her wings torn and shattered. Her optics flickered.  
"Phoenix?" he asked softly and then discovered the unconscious girl.  
"The child," she whispered, her voice breaking.  
"She is safe."  
"Good," was the faint answer.  
He carefully took Edana out from under the female Seeker and froze as he saw Lancer striding toward him like a dark angel of revenge. Energy seemed to crackle around her and her eyes were alive with hatred.  
"She is alive and not hurt," he said, trying to sound calm, but his voice shook with barely hidden fear. This humanoid had killed Braintrust! He put Edana down and moved between Phoenix and Lancer, ready to die first if the mother wanted even more revenge.  
Those inhuman eyes met his and he tensed, preparing to get blasted or worse. Phoenix moaned softly behind him and he thought he felt her life fading. Braintrust had hit her with everything he had had in that stinger. Within a moment Lancer changed in front of his eyes back into her human form, gently taking Edana up into her arms. Her suddenly normal eyes fell on Phoenix, then she turned and walked away.  
Tornado allowed himself to relax and lifted Phoenix carefully up into his arms. He thought he felt her life fading away and panic spread inside of him. Midnight watched him from not far away and carefully stepped closer.  
"She needs help," the Sentinel leader said.  
Tornado knew that and he knew that the only help he could get anywhere was from the Autobots.  
"I'll take her home," he said nevertheless, noticing Twister approach. The Seeker wasn't visibly armed.  
"She might not make it." Midnight's voice was soft and compassionate and Tornado cursed him for it.  
"They won't help us." He gestured at the Autobots.  
"They will. You saved the child."  
"Yeah, right, after kidnapping her first."  
"Trust me," the Sentinel said calmly.  
Their optics met and Tornado cursed himself even more for really doing just that. He trusted Midnight. He walked with him, followed by Twister. He knew he was risking a lot, but maybe it was for the better.

* * *

Shanygn woke with an incredible headache and the feeling that someone had hit her right between the eyes with a baseball bat. She blinked and focused on the ceiling above her, far above her. She had to be in a Cybertronian sized room. Suddenly a feeling overwhelmed her, a feeling of ....  
She turned her head and her eyes widened. "Roddy!" she whispered hoarsely.  
The Autobot sitting beside her bed broke out into a broad grin. She knew it was her Rodimus Prime, she felt it and it felt good.  
"Welcome back!" he said gently and she heard barely suppressed emotions crawl into his voice.  
"You look terrible," she told him, sizing him. He had lost a lot of color and even though she knew it was impossible, his face looked haggard and worn.  
"Look who's talking," he chuckled. "Have you looked into a mirror lately?"  
"No, the last one I tried cracked."  
He touched her carefully. "How are you?"  
"Now? Much better." She tried to look around. "How did you get here? Are we still....?"  
"In the other dimension? Yes. I took a shuttle and came here." A shadow crossed his optics. "I .... you were gone .... then came those images...."  
Shanygn gently touched his mind and felt him hesitate to let her in. "I'm not made out of glass," she whispered and he let her in. What she saw confirmed her fear that what she had felt, he had felt as well. She still didn't know where the images had come from, and somehow she was afraid to ask.  
He smiled at her unasked question. [I'm fine again. You just relax and let us others handle the return to where we belong]  
She nodded and closed her eyes again, falling almost instantly asleep.

Rodimus watched her sleep, for the first time relaxing as well. He remembered how he had arrived on this dimension's Cybertron. The defense system had let him pass because he had had the correct signature and because his shuttle had truly been an Autobot shuttle. He had nearly instinctively homed in on the building where Shanygn was, landing the shuttle and storming into the building. He had barely registered the Autobots all around him, his mind set on one single thing: find his partner!  
And then it had happened. Shanygn's unshielded, unprotected mind had been assaulted with those horrible images again.  
Rodimus gave a cry of pain and collapsed against the wall. The images attacked him with a ferocity that threatened to take his last bit of sanity.  
 _  
Pain.  
_  
 _  
Agony.  
_  
 _  
Snarls.  
_  
 _  
Get out of here!  
_  
 _  
Flee!  
_  
 _  
Cold eyes.  
_  
 _  
Screams.  
_  
He had lashed out at the hands trying to help him and he knew he was shooting at whoever it was who was too close. Incredible rage and fear coursed through him.  
 _  
Kill them!  
_  
 _  
Get out of here!  
_  
And then it had stopped, leaving him shaky and weak. He didn't know who had managed to calm him, to force him into surrender, but the next thing he had known was that he was faced by Optimus Prime. The Autobot leader had looked compassionately at him, giving him a chance to trust. And Rodimus, in pain and confused, had trusted.  
He sighed softly. It had been a good decision. Shanygn was safe and with him again.

*

Lancer stood outside the treatment room and watched the other Rodimus Prime and his partner. The dimensional twin to her partner had appeared nearly right after the battle and Optimus Prime had had a hard time convincing the hurting and severely confused robot that Shanygn was fine and not being tortured. From what she had heard, this Rodimus had been ready to gun down everyone to get to Shanygn. Looking at the two of them she knew why. She felt the same for her Rodimus and the feeling was mutual. Shanygn's Interface partner looked worn and tired, but from the smiles and the expressions on both of their faces, everything was going to be all right.  
Lancer turned away from the window and left the medical ward. Yes, everything was going to be all right. Edana was safe and except for the sleepiness resulting from the stun beam that had been used on the child, she was okay. Not a bruise. Phoenix had shielded her perfectly and Lancer had to be thankful to the seriously injured Seeker. She was currently treated for her injuries and the other two Seekers, especially Tornado, weren't leaving her for a minute. Midnight had vouch-saved for them. They wouldn't be any trouble now that their leader was gone and Tornado was once again in command.  
She was already expected by Midnight and Optimus Prime when she came into the conference room. Rodimus was present as well. He had yet to meet his dimensional twin and since the other Rodimus wasn't about to leave Shanygn alone, this might not happen any time soon, though she knew he was curious about the whole affair.  
"Perceptor managed to calculate the exact trajectory you have to take through the unstable gateway," Optimus just said. "We are outfitting your shuttle with stabilizers and there should be no problem in entering the gate."  
Midnight nodded. "It's appreciated. I think we should leave as soon as possible." He looked meaningfully at Lancer for a second and she knew what he was aiming at: Shanygn's connection to both Rodimus Primes.  
"What about the Seekers?" Rodimus now asked.  
"We will take them along, except for Braintrust's body." The Autobots had immediately scrapped it and Lancer had made sure that his brain unit had been thoroughly disassembled and then had personally blasted it to pieces of molten metal. "They were just following orders. Tornado is a reasonable person and he won't pursue what Braintrust wanted. And I think Phoenix will make sure he won't give up leadership of the Seekers again." There was a lot of understanding in Midnight's voice. "They are not your enemies any more."  
Lancer had to agree. Phoenix had even saved her child, paying dearly for it. She wasn't a person to stamp the word 'enemy' on them. They had been controlled to a degree and now that control was gone.  
Optimus nodded. "We will tell you when your ship is ready to leave."  
With that the meeting dispersed and Midnight found himself alone with Lancer and Rodimus.  
"How much will you tell her about the nightmares she had?" Lancer asked right away.  
"Shanygn has a right to know, as does Roddy," the black Sentinel said immediately. "Looks like they both experienced something that didn't come from either of them. Roddy nearly went crazy because he thought she was being tortured."  
Rodimus nodded slowly. "With you out of this dimension in a few hours anyway I think we can risk this."  
"I know you hate it, Rodimus Prime, but Shanygn was the recipient of something she doesn't understand and that drove her mad," Midnight said calmly. "How would you feel if it happened to you and you know it isn't you who experienced it?"  
But I have, the other's optics seemed to say, but Rodimus only nodded.  
"One more thing," the Sentinel said. "Just out of curiosity: how did you two manage to have a child?"

* * *

Silhouette was glad that everything had gone well and she had been equally happy to hear that the Rodimus from he dimension had shown up. She had understood that his first priority had been Shanygn. Silhouette had never felt any notion of jealousy toward the humanoid and why should she? Shanygn was a part of Rodimus, was close to him, but she wasn't a lover. Silhouette had no reason to feel left out and it was important for him to know Shanygn was all right. So Sil had spent the time looking around. And she ran into Grimlock. She tensed and regarded him warily.  
The Dinobot leader raised his hands. "No fight," he said, sounding amused.  
"Oh?"  
"Just apologize," he added and stretched out one hand. "Sorry for what happened."  
Sil looked thoughtfully at it for a second, then took it with a smile. Grimlock smiled as well, his blue visor glinting.

* * *

Rodimus had left the medical ward to walk a bit around. No one bothered him and except for First Aid and a human woman, no one really came here. Until he met the other human. They both looked at each other and Rodimus had the strange feeling of looking into a mirror and seeing his humanized self, though that was absurd. He had been turned human twice, each time looking different, but never like the red-haired man in front of him. But still..... two pairs of blue eyes met and there was no doubt in his mind who he was looking at.  
"Surprised?" his dimensional twin asked.  
"No, not really." He didn't think that anything could surprise him here anymore.  
Rodimus still looked into the other's eyes and his mind replayed the images he had seen. Midnight had told them where they had originated from, really originated from. Rodimus had been very shocked, still remembering all too vividly what he had seen. Torture, pain, rage, hatred, agony. His human counterpart looked back calmly, but he saw the realization and the knowledge in the other's eyes as well.  
"Can we talk?" the human asked.  
"I think we have to," Rodimus answered.  
His twin nodded and they stepped into an available room.

* * *

Shanygn felt like a whole being again. Since her Rodimus had arrived, the two of them had been constantly close to each other, trying to make up for the sudden loss and feeling of being left alone forever. His presence was nearly possessive, but she liked it and stayed close as well. Steve and Midnight had explained to her where the images had come from. It disturbed her a bit to think of what this dimension's Rodimus Prime had gone through in the past. It had to be terrible, pure horror. Her Rodimus had gone through a lot in their dimension and she knew he had had nightmares about it as well, but this had to be ten times worse. She shivered. Shanygn didn't really want to know more. At least she now had a way to shield herself from this horror, and with Roddy close to her, he presented an anchor she gladly used.  
[Are you all right?] Rodimus asked, feeling echoes of the things she had recalled.  
[Yes, I'm fine. I just thought about your dimensional twin. He went through a lot]  
[I know. It shows a bit] Rodimus smiled humorlessly.  
[You talked?]  
[We did. He doesn't talk about what actually happened and when I look at him .... it's like he bottled it all up and it doesn't take much to make him remember it ....] His voice trailed off.  
[We all have personal demons] Shanygn said softly.  
[Compared to what I always thought was unbearable this is like hell squared!]  
[I know] Shanygn sighed. [But he has Lancer ... and Edana. It's a small happiness, but at least he has that]  
Rodimus chuckled. [Wouldn't that make you an aunt?]  
She laughed softly. [No, not really. I'll have to wait for you and Sil to get busy]  
Rodimus coughed in embarrassment and Shanygn broke out in laughter.  
She leaned back and stretched, feeling almost normal again. [Talking of Sil: you don't have to hover around me, Roddy. I think Silhouette would like to see you as well. Don't tell me you didn't miss her!]  
[I missed both of you] he said softly.  
[Go and see her] she told him with a warm feeling. [Or Aunt Shanygn will administer a good kick!]  
He nodded and hesitantly left her alone.

As not otherwise expected, Silhouette was happy to see him and for a time, Rodimus could forget what had happened to them all.  
 

While Rodimus, her Rodimus, was with Silhouette, Shanygn went to see Lancer. There were a few things she still wanted to talk about, not to mention to apologize for what had happened. She found the blonde woman while she left the room Shanygn knew was Edana's.  
"How is she?" Shanygn asked immediately.  
"Fine. Just a bit tired still."  
She nodded. "Stun rays work like that on organic tissue."  
Both women walked along the corridor and finally arrived on what looked like a balcony with glass walls. You could see a good part of Cybertron's cityscape from here.  
"Lancer, about the attack," Shanygn began. "I'm sorry. I wasn't myself."  
Lancer smiled. "I know. Nothing happened and it's good to know that you are all right again."  
"Since Roddy is here I feel loads better." She smiled as well.  
"I can see that. You are closer than I first thought."  
"But not as close as you and Rodimus are," Shanygn stated quietly.  
Lancer was shocked for a moment. Was it so blatantly obvious? First Midnight, now Shanygn....  
"It is obvious for the trained eye," Shanygn answered the unspoken question. "You see, Midnight is part of an Interface, just like I am. We see whether there is more to a relationship than friendship. Interfacing is intimate, closer than you could ever get physically." She smiled. "I know how this sounds, but Rodimus is my partner in every thing but physical closeness."  
"I heard that he and Silhouette are together," Lancer remarked with a grin.  
The other woman nodded, equally grinning. "She's good for him. We kind of share him, if you want to put it that way. That's what I also saw in both of your eyes when you two are with each other. You share something both Silhouette and I share with our Rodimus."  
Lancer smiled as well. "And you aren't even shocked?"  
"That you are in love with a Cybertronian? No. Really, no. Curious maybe, but not shocked." Shanygn shrugged. "Bodily attraction is one thing, but the mind inside the body is more interesting."  
Lancer nodded slowly. "But the bodily attraction is there," she then said slowly, as if testing for a reaction. "Both Rodimus Primes are very much alike, but they are also different. Rodimus, my Rodimus, has a unique ability." There was a short flicker of remembered pain in her eyes. "He can turn human at will."  
Shanygn wasn't as surprised as she might have thought. Maybe she had somehow suspected such an explanation.  
"And the two of you have a child," she said with a smile.  
Lancer nodded. "Odd, right?"  
"No." Shanygn looked over the Cybertronian cityscape. "Maybe for the child at first, seeing her father in two forms, but not for me to hear it."  
The other woman relaxed a bit. "Edana grew up like this." She leaned back into her chair. "Do you have a partner?"  
"No. I think being Interfaced gives you no time for a second partner, at least from my point of view. Rodimus has Sil, I know, but I never looked for any company, not even before I met him. It would be rather complicated as well, you see. This jumpsuit helps me walk, replaces my nervous system, and when I take it off I rely on the artificial system that was implanted not long ago. I can still move, but it's pretty much a restricted movement. I never felt the urge to be with a man."  
Lancer nodded in understanding.  
"Change of topic for a second," Shanygn suddenly said with a smile, "because I'd like to know something: is your Rodimus as bad as mine?"  
"In what terms?"  
"Oh, many. Stubborn to the hilt, rash, illogical sometimes, hot headed.... and when he grins at you he looks like he never grew up at all...."  
Lancer laughed. "I could tell you stories......"  
Shanygn leaned forward conspiratively. "As could I, so spill it."  
When Silhouette joined them about an hour later, the laughter and giggles told her that the topic wasn't all that serious. And when she heard what it was about, she immediately had her experience to add as well......

* * *

Phoenix sat on the examination table and patiently let First Aid check her systems one last time. She felt okay, though it had taken some time for her to heal.  
"You are fine again," he then told her and she gave him a smile.  
"Thank you for everything."  
First Aid's visor glinted with a smile. "I think you did a lot to be thanked for as well."  
"Edana is all right?"  
"Perfectly all right," the medic confirmed.  
Phoenix slid from the table with a relieved feeling coursing through her. As she left the treatment room she was already expected by this dimension's Rodimus Prime. She stopped, flinching back a bit.  
Rodimus raised one hand. "It's all right, Phoenix. We just want to thank you for what you did."  
"I ... I'm sorry about what happened before," she said, feeling once again disgusted with herself and ashamed to be involved in this at all.  
"Nothing really happened," the Autobot said calmly. "Edana is fine and even though you are in a way responsible for the kidnapping, you also saved her."  
"I couldn't let him go on with this," Phoenix muttered, feeling a bit unwell to discuss those protective feelings she had developed out in the open. "Where are Tornado and Twister?"  
"They are with the Sentinels. I can lead you to them."  
Phoenix nodded and followed him.

* * *

Lancer watched the shuttle leave and felt Rodimus sneak an arm around her. He was still in his human form, something they had shown to Midnight, though the Sentinel had been less surprised than she would have guessed. Well, maybe he had suspected it, but why should he? The Sentinel leader was an intriguing personality, she had to confess, and he rarely missed anything. But he was also scary, even though she had come to know him. Every time she saw him among others he stood out, though he was not unlike every other robot she knew. She wondered how he handled being so different even from his looks. She leaned against her partner. Everything was over and they had won. Edana was safe and their visitors would soon be home.  
He kissed her neck and she smiled.  
"I have to leave soon," she said.  
His arms closed possessively around her and she let him nibble at her neck. "But we have time," he muttered.  
"Yes, we do," she purred.  
He smiled devilishly for a second. "Have you ever thought about a another baby ....?"

* * *

The dimensions drifted apart again and more energy flared for a brief moment.  
The gateway closed.


End file.
